


stars

by corpuscle



Category: VIXX
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Awkward first dates, Eventual Smut, Fluff, High School AU, ITS GR8, M/M, Omegaverse, Recreational Drug Use, Underage Drinking, Unrequited Love, aboverse, also hyde!era leo, eventual angst, taekwoon rides a motorcycle, teenage angst, with the long hair
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-24
Updated: 2017-11-25
Packaged: 2018-08-17 00:12:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8123041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/corpuscle/pseuds/corpuscle
Summary: in which taekwoon finds a boy freezing in the sprinklers with a spirit burning hotter than the stars





	1. 1

**Author's Note:**

> special thanks to my bud [ajanna](http://archiveofourown.org/users/sanghyuks) for beta'ing this bitch

Sanghyuk hates parties. He'd told Hongbin this when the alpha had been trying to convince him to come out - and ultimately he'd been successful. But now, sitting on a ratty couch in some stranger's dimly lit basement, air thick with the scent of sweat and arousal from dozens of hormonal teenagers, Hongbin's promises of free booze and good music are falling as flat as the Mountain Dew in his plastic cup.

He doesn't know how long he's been sitting here waiting for Hongbin to return with food, but it's becoming clear he's been abandoned. Fucking Hongbin. He's probably off trying to chat up that omega from their chem class, Hakyeon. Sanghyuk doesn't guess he can blame him. The two have been flirting for a while now, and Hakyeon _is_ pretty attractive. Not Sanghyuk’s type, of course. Same-status couples aren't unheard of, but Sanghyuk's more in the market for an alpha - which is shaping up to be difficult. Most kids in high school have at least _one_ relationship at some point, and even though Sanghyuk's only in his second year, he's starting to lose hope. Turns out most alphas aren't so interested in a six-foot-something omega whose main hobbies are video games and math homework.

The repetitive bass in whatever EDM is playing is starting to rail on his nerves and he decides he has been sober for far too long. That's half the reason he came, after all; the alcohol. He pushes off the tattered couch - swears he sees clouds of dust billow up when he does - and tries to find his way to the stairs by the glow of the dingy fairylights strung haphazardly around. If he remembers correctly, the stairs will take him to the living room area where a makeshift bar has been set up with stacks of solo cups, bottles of all types of booze and punch that smells of so much alcohol it could probably be used as lighter fluid. He'll probably just go for a beer.

He takes the stairs two at a time to the door at the top. There are definitely fewer people up here, but the lighting is just as bad, and the music just as loud. The smell might even be worse; it looks like this is where everyone's going to couple-off and the air is drenched with the heady smell of pheromones. This is _definitely_ not his scene. It is, however, Hongbin's. Sanghyuk finds his best friend on one of the couches with a lap-full of who he assumes is Hakyeon but could honestly be anybody. He shakes his head. Being around so many people is turning his stomach sour. Or maybe it's the smell. Or that everyone is making out. Regardless, he decides to get shitfaced. He'll probably have to call Wonshik for a ride home later.

By the time he gets to the "bar," the only stuff left is the punch - which is significantly less pink than when they first got here. Now it's all brownish and smells slightly of cinnamon. Sanghyuk decides to take his chances.

The first sip packs a punch (no pun intended) and burns all the way down. Besides that, Sanghyuk tries to convince himself through a grimace, it really doesn't taste that bad. He stands there a little longer, gingerly taking more sips of the concoction before deciding to wander. The alcohol starts to get to him a few minutes later, the air getting more stuffy and pressing down on him. Fire spreads in his belly throughout his limbs and now all he wants is some relief.

Time goes a little hazy after that. Sanghyuk vaguely remembers stumbling through the house until he found a door but then it all goes blank.

The next thing he does remember is stars. More stars than he's ever seen in his entire life. He reaches a hand up as if to catch one, the soft breeze cooling water droplets as they sluice down his arm and leaving goosebumps in their wake. There's noise, but it sounds far away. Some type of muffled music leaking out from somewhere nearby, and a hissing coming from much closer. He should know what they are, probably, but he can't place them at the moment. There's another noise, too, much closer and much more annoying. It's messing with his attempt to catch the stars and he tries to tune it out.

"Hey!"

Ugh.

There it is again.

Sanghyuk closes his eyes and tries to stretch up farther. He doesn't know why he's never tried this before. Maybe because stars never seemed so close before. The noise has finally stopped, so Sanghyuk opens his eyes again. Except, instead of the stars, he sees -

" _Hey._ " There's someone standing above him, looking down. "You okay?"

Sanghyuk's face slowly breaks into a lopsided grin. The boy over him is so... so _pretty_. He closes his fist.

"Caught one."

"What?"

Sanghyuk just giggles and lets his arm fall back down into the grass. Star-boy sighs.

"Come on, kid. You're gonna get sick out here like this."

His voice is so soft and nice, like twinkling starlight. The boy grabs his arm and Sanghyuk's immediately struck by how hot his hand is against Sanghyuk's skin. It makes sense, he guesses, since stars are made of fire and all, but it _hurts_ and he almost wants to cry.

"Shit, you're freezing. Where's your shirt?"

Sanghyuk is hauled up quickly, the star mumbling something about shirts that Sanghyuk can't comprehend as the world spins around him. Everything's moving so fast and his arm still hurts from how warm the star-boy is and it's all too much. He leans forward and promptly empties the contents of his stomach onto star-boy's shoes before blacking out again.

★☆

When Sanghyuk comes to, he’s in his own bed with a pounding in his head and an urgency in his bladder. He staggers up and to the bathroom, leaning heavily on the walls on the way for support. He gets there eventually and flips on the light, then immediately switches it off again when the pounding in his head gets infinitely worse.

No lights, then. Okay.

Sanghyuk almost falls asleep in the middle of his extremely long piss, but as soon as it’s over he drops to his knees and hurls. There are tears in his eyes from throwing up and he tries to suck them back in, but finds his nose to be stopped up like nobody’s business.

 _Shit._ He touches a hand to his forehead and he’s burning up. _Well,_ he thinks, wiping the spit and bile from his lips with the back of his hand, _this is shaping up to be a_ wonderful _morning._ He pushes himself up and flushes the grossness down the toilet, going then immediately to brush his teeth and rid himself of that god-awful taste.

Sanghyuk grabs a blanket from his bed and trudges down the hall to the kitchen, toothbrush still hanging from his lips. His sister is sitting at the table, fingers clacking away at her laptop, and Sanghyuk wants to scream with how loud the sound of it is ringing in his ears. She leans back in her chair when she sees him and gives him a big shit-eating grin.

“Hey, squirt. How ya feelin’?” She asks in a mockingly sweet voice.

Sanghyuk groans and spits in the kitchen sink, rinsing off his toothbrush. Hana just cackles at him.

“Ugh, I feel like I’ve been run over by a train.”

“Aww, baby’s first hangover.” She gives him a sympathetic look despite the sarcasm. “Want me to make you some cocoa?”

“Will that help?”

“The Aspirin I’ll put in it will.”

He gives her the closest thing to a smile he can muster and shuffles over to sit at the table. He lays his head on the table, arms outstretched on either side and blanket pulled up to shield himself from the light. The sound of Hana stirring the cocoa behind him is the loudest noise he’s ever heard in his entire life and he wants to die.

“Noona, I’m never drinking alcohol again in my life.”

She sets the mug down gently next to him and pats his shoulder.

“Sure you aren’t.”

Sanghyuk just groans.

“Drink your cocoa, then take some cold medicine and go back to sleep. You look half dead.”

“Hm.” Sanghyuk takes a good five minutes to get himself up from the table - mainly fueled by the annoying sound of his sister’s keyboard again and the sweet smell of hot chocolate. He picks up the mug - still warm - and starts back to his room, but pauses at the hall to look back at Hana.

“Hey Noona?”

“Hm?”

“Please don’t tell Mom and Dad.”

She looks up at him from her computer and smiles reassuringly.

“‘Course not.”

★☆

The next time Sanghyuk is roused from his sleep it’s by a firm hand rubbing soothing circles into his back. He hums and rolls over, trying to scent out who it is but being thwarted by the snot stopping up his nose. Regardless, it comes with little surprise when he opens his eyes to see Hongbin perched on the edge of his bed. His best friend has always had a protective streak for him something fierce - which is only natural. He always tries to keep an eye on the omega, but that’s when he’s thinking with his brain instead of his knot. Sanghyuk will always forgive him, though. He can be a little shit, too, sometimes and at the end of the day they’re best friends. They’re there for each other.

Sanghyuk scoots over and pats the bed for Hongbin to join him.

“Dude, what the fuck happened last night?” the omega asks as Hongbin scoots in next to him. Cuddling is common for them; it gives an opportunity to reaffirm scent bonds, and Hongbin’ll never admit it but he’s a sucker for physical affection.

“Do you remember anything?”

“Mmm,” Sanghyuk burrows his face in Hongbin’s chest, still feeling sick and miserable and seeking comfort. “Not much. And what I do doesn’t make a lot of sense. I know you ditched me for Hakyeon, though.”

“Yeah, sorry about that, bro.”

“Eh, whatever. I kind of expected it.”

“Well, I guess at some point you found the punch? Hyukkie, I knew you were a lightweight but you’re not allowed to go near hard liquor at parties anymore.”

Sanghyuk scoffs, shifting back to look Hongbin in the eye, “Not _allowed_?”

Hongbin fixes him with a glare and Sanghyuk backs down with an eyeroll.

“That’s fair, I guess.”

“Anyway, Hakyeon’s friend came and got us, said he found some idiot lying half-naked in the yard with the sprinklers.”

“Oh god.”

“We went with him to investigate, and sure enough there you were, huddled on the back porch, shirtless, wearing the dude’s jacket, babbling about stars and shit, fucking _soaking wet._

“So, we got you inside, dried you off, and I drove you home. Hana took care of the rest.”

“Anything else?”

“You puked on the guy’s shoes.”

Sanghyuk groans miserably into Hongbin’s chest, “I’m never letting you talk me into anything ever again.”

“Aw, come on, Hyukkie. You had fun, right? And Hakyeon’s friend seemed to like you, wouldn’t leave you alone ‘til he knew for sure you’d be okay.”

“Is he an alpha?” Sanghyuk asked somewhat hopefully.

“Couldn’t tell. That place was chock full of scents, dude. Seemed more like an omega, though. Maybe beta. He was pretty shy.”

Sanghyuk hums, shifting around a little to get comfortable. There’s a lull in the conversation, then. Sanghyuk sighs.

“Well, go on, tell me about what happened with Hakyeon. I can tell you’re just _itching_ to talk about it.”

Sanghyuk can practically _feel_ Hongbin’s grin as he launches into the topic.

“Okay, so, after I left you downstairs, I went to go find food, right? Well, Hakyeon was in the kitchen when I got there and we started talking - y’know flirting like we usually do. And I think he’d had a couple, but so had I, and he took us back to the couch and -”

“Yeah, I saw that part.”

“Yeah,” Sanghyuk imagines Hongbin would blush if he had the decency, “Well, after that the whole thing with you happened. But then, after I dropped you home, Hakyeon texted me.”

“Oh? Booty call? Didja score?”

“No, it wasn’t - I thought it was just a booty call but we ended up just sitting in my car and talking for hours, about everything. It was really great. I think I might actually have feelings for him, Hyukkie.”

“Woah, you have feelings?”

Sanghyuk is attacked for that one, forced onto his back in a fit of giggles as Hongbin tickles him ‘til he’s gasping. There are tears in his eyes by the time he gets enough breath to shout ‘ _uncle!_ ’ Hongbin flops on his back next to Sanghyuk, both catching their breath for a minute with matching grins.

After a moment, Hongbin folds his elbow under his head and turns to look at Sanghyuk.

“I’m serious, though, Hyukkie. I _really_ like him.”

“Hmm,” Sanghyuk closes his eyes, folding his arms behind his head. “Did you ask him out?”

Hongbin sighs heavily.

“Oh no, what’s that for? Is he dating someone already?”

“No, he’s single, he’s just -” he breaks off into another sigh, “he’s been hurt before. And he’s really not looking for anything right now. Nothing serious, at least. And I don’t want it to be just a fling, y’know?”

“So,” Sanghyuk says after a beat, “what are you gonna do?”

“I’m gonna be his friend. For now, at least. And, we’ll see what happens.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

They lie together in a comfortable silence after that. Just their thoughts and the sound of each other breathing to accompany them. Sanghyuk has almost dozed off again when Hongbin’s voice breaks into the quiet.

“You gonna be at school tomorrow?”

“Haven’t decided yet. Probably. Parents would wanna know why I missed and I don’t know how to explain away a hangover. And you know how they are about school.”

“Yeah. Where are they, anyway?”

“Uhh, not sure. Business trip, as always. Hong Kong maybe? I don’t know, ask Hana.”

“Well, if you wanna nap in my car or something tomorrow, you know I can always cover for you. Perks of having Student Council President as your best friend and all that.”

Sanghyuk grins tiredly, “Thanks, I’ll let ya know.”

They lapse back into silence again after that. This time Sanghyuk falls asleep before Hongbin can interrupt.

★☆

It’s dark out when Sanghyuk wakes up again, and the only thing left of Hongbin in his bed is a rumpled blanket and the faint scent of alpha. And, seeing as Sanghyuk can actually smell it, the cold medicine must be working at least enough to clear his nose up. He staggers out of bed and, after taking a quick piss, into the living room where Hana is watching T.V.

She glances at him when he walks in.

“Heya, champ. Feeling any better?”

Sanghyuk plops down next to her on the sofa.

“Well, I can breathe again, that’s nice. And I don’t feel like I’m gonna puke every time I move.”

“That’s good. I washed your clothes for you, they’re on your desk in your room.”

“Thanks.”

“Mmhmm, don’t say I never did anything for you.”

Sanghyuk chuckles.

“So are you going to tell me what happened last night or do I have to call Hongbin?”

“Uh, short version: I drank questionable punch and blacked out.”

“Long version?”

“Call Hongbin.”

Hana snorts and reaches an arm over to ruffle his hair.

“Oh, Hyukkie, _what_ am I going to do with you?”

“Please, like you never did anything like this when you were my age.”

“Touché.” Hana leans back to stretch and turns toward her brother. “You going to school tomorrow?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, get something to eat before you go to bed. I’m gonna turn in.” She leans over and blows a raspberry on his forehead, making him giggle and pull a face.

“Night, Hana.”

“Night Hyukkie,” she calls over her shoulder as she walks down the hall.

Sanghyuk lets the T.V. run for a bit before he decides to follow suit. He grabs some lunch meat from the fridge and pops it in his mouth as he makes his way back to his room. His phone is flashing when he gets there to alert him of messages from Hongbin.

_HongBang: U up yet sleeping beauty?_   
_hyuktastic: no_   
_HongBang: Haha._   
_Do u want a ride to school tomorrow?_   
_hyuktastic: yes pls_   
_HongBang: C u at 7 then._   
_U feeling better?_   
_hyuktastic: not rly_   
_i hate being sick_   
_i’ve slept all day_

Hongbin sends a bunch of emoticons that make Sanghyuk crack a smile at the sheer absurdity.

 _hyuktastic: thanks, hyung_  
_im going to bed now_  
_HongBang: Goodnight hyukkie!_

Sanghyuk clicks his phone off and sets it down on his letterman folded on his desk. Except - wait. He doesn’t have a letterman. He unfolds the jacket and holds it up. The name on the back is for a Jung Taekwoon. There are patches for soccer littered down the back commemorating important games and competitions, just under the big number 57. There are two more patches on the arms, one on each shoulder: a patch for choir competition on the right, and one for theatre on the left. Sanghyuk runs his hands up and down the smooth leather of the sleeves. Then, in a moment of impulsivity, he brings it to his face and inhales.

Most of the scent has been washed off in the laundry, but there’s a lingering hint of something, someone, vaguely familiar. He closes his eyes and takes another deep breath in. Visions of fierce eyes and a soft voice dance in front of his mind’s eye as the heady aroma of _alpha_ fills his lungs and sends a spark of warmth to the pit of his gut.

He puts the jacket back down on his desk like it’s bitten him. It’s not his, he shouldn’t be messing with it. Hongbin said the guy was Hakyeon’s friend, right? He’ll find him and return it tomorrow at school. He refolds the jacket and sets it back down on the pile of clothes.

It’s late. He needs to sleep.

He switches off his lamp and crawls into bed.


	2. 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is so late i promise chapter three will be out faster

I GOT A BOY blares from Sanghyuk’s phone at promptly 6 am. Then again at 6:30. At 6:45, Hana pokes her head in his room to let him know she has an early meeting at the office and that she’s left him a cup of coffee in the microwave. Sanghyuk actually ends up rolling out of bed at around 6:50, leaving him ten minutes to get ready before Hongbin shows up. He has a two-minute shower and throws on an old t-shirt and some jeans.  


He’s out the door with his coffee in one hand and the stranger’s jacket in the other just as Hongbin pulls up outside. Hongbin, despite having a good job and a decently well-off family still drives the same crappy two-door that he bought with his first three paychecks. Sanghyuk has tried to convince him to get rid of it, reminded him of all the times it’s broken down and Hongbin's had to call a tow, how many times the driver’s side window has gotten stuck rolled down and drenched the upholstery when it rains, how many times the engine’s started smoking and he has to pull over until it cools down. But, no matter how many times the windshield wipers go haywire or how weird the noises are when he takes it above 50 miles per hour, Hongbin refuses to get rid of it.  


_“She’s family, Hyukkie,”_ comes the refrain. _“You don’t do that to family.”_  


Sanghyuk slides into the passenger seat and the smell of piña colada car freshener hits him like a train. Hongbin’s had a yellow tree hanging from his rearview ever since he bought the thing to try and rid it of the smell of cigarettes and mildew. (It doesn’t work. He changes them out every month.)  


Hongbin ruffles a hand through Sanghyuk’s still-damp hair, “Wake up late?”  


Sanghyuk takes a sip of his coffee and glares in response.  


Hongbin chuckles and begins backing out of the parking spot, “You never were a morning person.”  


“And you never knew how to take a hint.” Sanghyuk receives a punch on the shoulder for that and in return almost chokes on his coffee laughing. They continue in relative silence for awhile; nothing but road noise and the weird high-pitched buzzing of Hongbin’s car. (There would be music, but there’s been an old Beatles’ tape stuck in the radio since god knows when that’s warped beyond repair. Between that and the third of an antenna that remains on the hood, they’re better off with the quiet.)  


After a bit, Hongbin starts back up.  


“So, Hakyeon and I are gonna go off-campus for lunch today. Wanna come?”  


“You want me to third-wheel?”  


“I’m pretty sure his friend is coming, too. Y’know, the one you met at the party?” Hongbin briefly takes his eyes off the road to waggle his eyebrows at Sanghyuk.  


“Wow, now I’m convinced,” the omega deadpans.  


“Aw, c’mon, Hyukkie. He was really worried about you, I’m sure he’d like to see that you’re okay now.”  


“That’s nice.”  


“Never thought you were one to turn down an alpha.”  


“I thought you said he was an omega.”  


“I said I didn’t know. But I was talking to Hakyeon last night…”  


Sanghyuk stares down the side of Hongbin’s face. “And he’s interested?”  


Hongbin shrugs. “Guess you’ll just have to find out at lunch today, won’t you?” Hongbin swerves a little when Sanghyuk punches him in the arm. 

 

★☆

 

Sanghyuk would have liked to have found the stranger - Taekwoon, as the jacket read and Hongbin confirmed - before school and given him his jacket then, but a certain alpha with a shit car decided that he _had_ to get specialty coffee before school. Even though it was five minutes out of their way. Even though there was a fifteen minute wait in line. Even though they ended up getting to school five minutes before the tardy bell. Typical.  


Either way, Sanghyuk had to put the jacket in his locker before booking it to calculus. 

 

★☆

 

In the middle of fifth period, Sanghyuk’s phone buzzes in his back pocket. Class is about half way over and he’s finished what they’re working on anyway, so discreetly he pulls it out and checks it. 

 

_HongBang: 1 New Message_

 

He contemplates ignoring it, but then it buzzes again. 

 

_HongBang: 2 New Messages_

 

With a defeated sigh and a glance around the room, he unlocks his phone. 

 

_HongBang: Cool so im parked round back by band hall.  
HongBang: Ill wait for u to come meet me._

 

Sanghyuk rolls his eyes and clicks off his phone without responding. 

 

★☆

 

After class is over, Sanghyuk stops by his locker to deposit his backpack and grab the jacket before heading out to meet Hongbin where he said he’d be. Sure enough, outside the band hall Sanghyuk finds his best friend perched on the hood of his car talking, enraptured, to a smiling Hakyeon.  


“Thought you said Hakyeon’s friend would be here,” Sanghyuk remarks when he gets in earshot. It’s directed mainly at Hongbin, but Hakyeon’s the one who responds, turning to Sanghyuk with a bright smile on his face.  


“He’s off campus this period so he’s gonna meet us there.”  


“Oh, okay,” Sanghyuk nods and is reaching for the passenger-side door when Hongbin stops him.  


“Uh, actually Hakyeon’s got shotgun. Sorry, Hyukkie.”  


Sanghyuk shoots him a look, obviously displeased, and Hakyeon pipes up again.  


“Oh, no, you can keep the front seat, Sanghyuk. I prefer sitting in the back anyways.”  


Hongbin raises his eyebrows at the omega, “Really? It’s no problem, Hyukkie can deal.” But Hakyeon’s already slid through to the middle of the back (the bitch seat, as Hongbin would call it) and is buckling his seatbelt across his lap. Sanghyuk smiles smugly to himself as he plops into his seat up front. Maybe Hakyeon isn’t so bad after all.  


Hongbin starts up his car and pulls out of the school parking lot while Hakyeon leans forward, elbows on either chair in front of him, and continues whatever it was he was telling Hongbin. Sanghyuk tries to listen, but it’s a lot of drama between people he doesn’t know and he’s more preoccupied with the twist in his gut at seeing Taekwoon again, anyways. How do you even approach a guy after something like that? _”Hey, random stranger, sorry you had to literally save my ass when I was blackout drunk at that party. Anyway, here’s your jacket back that I stole unintentionally.”_ God, why did he even agree to this in the first place?  


They arrive at the restaurant far too quickly for Sanghyuk’s liking. Well, if you can call it a restaurant. It’s just a little local drive-up, but they have some picnic tables out front and Hakyeon assures them that the ice cream here is “just to die for.” And the grumble in Sanghyuk’s stomach doesn’t really afford him much room to complain, even if he wanted to. Hongbin parks in the little cement square of a lot out front and Sanghyuk can’t help but notice the absence of any other cars.  


Hakyeon, as if reading his mind, pipes up, “Doesn’t look like Taekwoon’s here yet. Wanna just go grab a table and wait for him?”  


“Probably should,” comes Hongbin’s reply and they end up settling at the closest of the three quaint tables to the parking lot. A cute blonde alpha comes to take their orders, armed with a green flipbook that’s covered in flower decals and a smile so sweet it could rot teeth. She flirts with Hakyeon a little before they start ordering and as soon as she flounces back into the building, Hongbin and Hakyeon break into a fit of giggles.  


“Should I tell her I’m gay? Or just go with it?”  


Hongbin snorts (which makes Sanghyuk and Hakyeon break into their own fit of laughter) and suggests, “Don’t tell her unless she asks for your number or something. No need to crush her dreams if she doesn’t make a move.”  


Hongbin’s cut off right at the end by a loud engine pulling into the parking lot next to Hongbin’s car. It’s a sleek black motorcycle that shimmers dark blue in the sunlight and Sanghyuk’s breath catches in his throat. The man atop the bike parks it, kicks the stand out and as he stands, Sanghyuk can’t help but notice how _well_ he fills out that tee shirt, eyes following the well-muscled arms as they raise to lift his helmet off. He vaguely registers Hakyeon’s voice saying, “Oh, Taekwoonie’s here,” but he seems far off and distant; the only sound Sanghyuk can really register right now being the racing of his own heart as it pounds in his ears. The man, the alpha from the party, _Taekwoon_ , as his brain supplies, sets his helmet down on the seat of his motorcycle before making his way over to the three of them at the table.  


And, _God_ , Sanghyuk didn’t realize how _hot_ he was. His jeans hug his legs in just the right way to show off the thickness of his thighs and calves -- Sanghyuk guiltily wishes he would turn around so he could see his no-doubt amazing ass -- and his shirt is stretched tight over his chest in such a way that illustrates his musculature perfectly. Not to mention how handsome his face is, with catlike eyes and plush lips, framed perfectly by raven hair that falls to his shoulders. Sanghyuk’s mind jumps immediately to how it would feel to run his fingers through it.  


He’s interrupted from his ogling by, _surprise, surprise,_ Hakyeon’s chipper voice.  


“Taekwoonie! How was practice? We already ordered but she should be back soon with drinks.” Taekwoon nods and sits down next to Hakyeon across from Sanghyuk and Hongbin without a word. Hakyeon continues to prattle on, “Oh! This is Sanghyuk -- but, you two have already met, right?” he chuckles along with Hongbin and Sanghyuk’s face immediately flushes a deep red and he stammers out a weak “hi.” The alpha nods and turns back to Hakyeon as he continues his conversation with Hongbin. Sanghyuk keeps looking at him for a moment until his brain catches up and he realizes that no, staring is weird, and he should really not be any weirder to this incredibly hot alpha. His gaze shifts downwards and he starts tracing the woodgrain of the table with his eyes as he tries to get his heart to slow down to a normal speed, hands fisted in his jeans.  


The waitress comes back after a bit with their drinks and when Taekwoon starts to order, Sanghyuk has to fight not to whip his head up to stare at him again. His _voice_. It’s so… so soft, and gentle, and non-alpha. And _cute_. How can he be so hot and so cute at the same time? Sanghyuk wants to curl up in a ball and scream, but he settles for digging his nails into his thighs and staring down intently at his soda.  


Until Hongbin jabs him in the side with his elbow and his head jerks up, expression akin to that of a deer caught in headlights.  


“You good, man? You’re looking at that Mountain Dew like it just killed your whole family.”  


Sanghyuk feels his face get hotter even as he laughs it off, “Yeah, just lost in thought, I guess. What were we talking about?”  


He makes a conscious effort to follow the conversation after that -- the conversation that Hakyeon and Hongbin are dominating -- and only stares at his food a socially acceptable amount of time as they eat their lunch. He can’t help but notice, however, that every time he glances at Taekwoon, the alpha hurriedly looks away. As if he’s just caught him elbow-deep in the cookie jar or something.  


It’s the or something that worries him.  


Sure, Taekwoon is hot to an unfair, otherworldly degree, but he’s also fucking terrifying. Those sharp eyes deliver an even sharper glare that makes Sanghyuk want to hide under the table in fear of dreamboy’s wrath. He’s not even sure what he did to piss him off. Was he staring too much? Or -- no, wait didn’t Hongbin say something about his shoes? Fuck, he must still be mad about the party. And shit, why wouldn’t he be? Sanghyuk decides he needs to apologize as soon as possible. Partly because he’s a single alpha so hot Sanghyuk feel’s like he’ll get sunburned standing too close, and partly because he looks like he could rip the omega apart with his bare hands. Either way, he has to make it right. Maybe he’ll buy him new shoes or something.  


He’s dragged out of his thoughts by Hakyeon saying his name.  


“Oh, by the way, Sanghyuk brought your jacket back. He even washed it, wasn’t that nice of him?” There’s a strained emphasis in Hakyeon’s voice that Sanghyuk is mildly scared of, but then again he’s probably safer not knowing what all that’s about anyways.  


“Yes, thank you,” Taekwoon says to Sanghyuk and the omega melts.  


“O-oh, yeah, I left it in the car. Here, I’ll…” he trails off as he clambers up from the picnic table and only stumbles a little bit as he starts to Hongbin’s car. He doesn’t think Hongbin locked it, but even if he did there’s a trick where if you pull really hard on the passenger door it’ll pop right open anyways. He crawls in about half-way to reach the center console where he left the jacket, and almost hits his head on the doorframe as he crawls back out because _holy shit,_ Taekwoon’s standing right there. He hadn’t even heard the alpha follow him to the car. He tries to cover his shock with a cough as he straightens and holds out the jacket.  


“Um, yeah, like Hakyeon-hyung said, it’s been washed and stuff, so…” Taekwoon is staring him down with a frightening intensity and he desperately wants to know why, but also doesn’t.  


“Thanks for, uh, for letting me borrow it, I guess? And sorry, for, y’know, for puking on your shoes and stuff.” Sanghyuk could punch himself right now. _Puking on your shoes **and stuff**? _ What the fuck is wrong with him?  


Taekwoon mutters a thanks as he pulls the jacket on and Sanghyuk bites his lip involuntarily because he’s so much closer and his scent is so much stronger - especially when he lifts his arms up like that and Sanghyuk gets hit with a wave of that alpha musk from the night before. Only this time it’s right in front of him and terrifying and he is _not_ going to let himself put off even a whiff of arousal.  


So, instead he resumes his awkward stammering, “C-cool, so, yeah, I’m just gonna, head back then. T-to finish lunch. And.. stuff.”  


He hears a huff behind him as he walks - a little too quickly - back to the table and silently prays that he hasn’t pissed the stoic alpha off even further. Hongbin and Hakyeon are laughing, as usual, when he approaches, but they both look up when he starts to sit down.  


“Hey,” Hongbin begins, chipper, “so lunch is gonna be over pretty soon, and since Hakyeon and I both have next period free, we thought maybe Taekwoon would take you back to school? We’re gonna stay here a bit. That’s okay, right?”  


Sanghyuk is going to scream, he really is, but Taekwoon’s voice, soft and gentle as ever and right behind him, cuts him off.  


“That’s fine. I have an extra helmet.”  


Sometimes Sanghyuk wishes he could communicate telepathically with his best friend. If he could, he would be giving him the mental equivalent of a dead leg right now. But he doesn’t, so he just smiles tight-lipped at him and mumbles a strained thanks to the alpha behind him.  


There are matching glints in Hakyeon and Hongbin’s eyes and Sanghyuk gets the sinking feeling that this maybe wasn’t so accidental.  


Fucking Hongbin. 

 

★☆

 

The ride back to school lasts about three times as long as the ride to the drive-up and Sanghyuk tries not to move the entire time. It’s not that he’s scared of motorcycles or anything, he’s just never been on one before. And they’re going really fast. And he’s got his arms wrapped around Taekwoon’s strong torso, holding onto his hips like he’d been told so that he doesn’t fall off and die. Which, being in such close proximity to the scary alpha and feeling the heat from his back pressed up against his chest, he kind of wishes he would. It doesn’t help that Taekwoon’s extra helmet has no visor, so he has to tuck himself into the alpha’s broad back and shoulders to shield his face from the wind.  


At one point they stop at a light and Taekwoon looks over his shoulder to check on Sanghyuk. He makes eye-contact with the omega as he grabs his hands in his own larger, leather-clad ones and lifts them up a little higher from where they’ve slipped down to his thighs. There’s an unreadable expression in his eyes and Sanghyuk wants to set himself on fire. He can feel Taekwoon’s abs beneath his thin tee shirt now, strong and solid and shifting every time they have to turn or slow down, and it’s all he can do not to jerk them away every time he does.  


They get back to school with a good ten minutes to spare. Taekwoon gets off the bike first and gets his backpack out of one of the leather saddlebags on the back, replacing it with his gloves and helmet. Sanghyuk remains on the seat, struggling with the buckle of his own helmet that’s somehow gotten pinched and twisted under his chin. Taekwoon huffs -- a sound Sanghyuk’s becoming regrettably used to -- and beckons Sanghyuk over. The omega obliges, dismounting and walking around toward Taekwoon on shaky legs, and lifts his head up for assistance.  


“Sorry,” Taekwoon says in his usual quiet way as he works at undoing the clasp, “it gets stuck sometimes.”  


His hands are soft and warm as they brush against Sanghyuk’s throat and he swallows heavily when the helmet is finally free. He looks away as Taekwoon lifts it off, then back again, startled, when he hears soft laughter. There’s a small smile on Taekwoon’s face and he lifts his hands up to smooth through Sanghyuk’s hair that has apparently fallen victim to the effects of the wind and being smooshed under a helmet.  


“Cute,” Taekwoon says -- unintentionally from the way his eyes widen fractionally and his own cheeks dust with pink.  


Sanghyuk’s brain shuts down.  


“I can get into the student council room before the bell,” he blurts without thinking and Taekwoon’s expression contorts into one of confusion. “Th-there’s a fridge in there. I can -- your food. I can put our leftovers in the student council fridge -- i-if you want. Hongbin’s the president -- of StuCo, I mean. So I-I can -- if you want, I can--”  


Taekwoon laughs again and it’s the sweetest sound Sanghyuk’s ever heard in his entire life.  
“

Yes, thank you. That would be nice.”  


Taekwoon gets their to-go boxes out of his saddlebag and Sanghyuk tries to ignore how their fingers brush when he takes them from him. They stand there silently for a moment.  


“R-right, so… Thanks for the ride. I-I’ll see you around.” Sanghyuk tries to smile but it might have come across as more of a grimace. He cuts his losses and starts toward the school.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i hate formatting on ao3


	3. 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey there it's been literally a year since i updated life has been hell but i will finish this fucking fic

Sanghyuk is more-than-kind-of dreading sixth period. Really, the more he thinks about it, the ride home was at best wholly uneventful—at worst a disaster. He keeps going back in his head over everything he did, where his hands were, how hard he was breathing, and how Taekwoon responded, and by the time class starts Hongbin’s seat across the lab-bench from him is empty and he has convinced himself he absolutely blew everything with Taekwoon. Five minutes into class Hongbin and Hakyeon come strolling sheepishly into class and deposit their tardy slips on the teacher’s desk—who, for the most part, ignores their late entrance entirely. Hongbin takes his seat across from Sanghyuk who, the second their teacher’s back is turned, leans forward and, in the most scathing tone he can muster while still being quiet, hisses,  _ “Hey, dude, what the  _ **_fuck_ ** _? _ ”

Hongbin bites his lip to keep from laughing out loud and doesn’t look back at Sanghyuk until the day’s opening lecture is over and the class is splitting into lab groups. Hakyeon, predictably, takes the bench next to Hongbin, but not before plopping his bag down on the one by Sanghyuk to discourage others from trying to join their group. Sanghyuk is going to scream. 

“Assholes,” he curses, fidgeting with the corner of their lab handout and decidedly  _ not _ looking up  at the two chucklefucks sitting across from him, “You’re both assholes and I refuse to speak to you unless it’s about this stupid lab assignment.”

Hongbin is laughing so hard that they are in danger of getting disbanded by the teacher.

“Oh, come on, Hyukkie,” Hakyeon begins after shushing the annoying alpha, “it wasn’t that bad, was it?” 

“No fucking thanks to you guys,” he blurts before he can remember his vow of non-chemistry-related silence. “Like, seriously, that was really not cool. Do you know how embarrassed I was?” He fixes Hongbin with his most upset look, hoping for sympathy. “Like, I just met the guy after puking on his fucking shoes at a party and then I have to bother him with a ride home? That was a real dick move, bro.”

“Hey, come on,” Hongbin reaches out his hand across the lab bench, laughter dying down as his eyebrows raise in mild concern, “How many times have you asked me to find you a single alpha? I’m just being a good friend.” 

“Oh yeah, best friend in the world, remind me to give you a fucking medal later.”

Hakyeon jumps in to mediate and the rest of the class period is spent trying not to burn down the chem classroom. Halfway through the period Hongbin reaches his pencil over and scrawls onto the corner of Sanghyuk’s lab sheet,  _ r u mad @ me? _

Sanghyuk shakes his head and mouths back,  _ just embarrassed. _ Hongbin frowns dramatically and mouths,  _ sorry _ , and the matter is dropped after that. That’s generally how disputes work out between them, both realizing that they can each be a bit of a dick at times and go too far without meaning, and really at the end of the day it isn’t life-or-death and only pride is wounded, so all is okay. 

They manage to mostly figure out the lab for the day, and only set something on fire that they’re not supposed to once. In fact, Sanghyuk has mostly forgotten about lunch, at least temporarily, and is packing his things away before the bell when Hakyeon approaches him with his phone in his hands. 

“Hey, so, I’m talking to Taekwoon--”

“Oh my god.” Sanghyuk drops whatever it is he’s holding into his backpack and stares blankly forward, ready to start arguing.

“--chill, it’s fine. He wanted me to give you his Kakao ID.”

“Hyung, I -- wait,” he turns to Hakyeon, who’s still looking at his phone, “he -- what?”

“He said something about leftovers, I don’t know. What’s important is that you hand me your phone so I can give you his ID.” 

Hakyeon takes his phone before he can agree.

 

★☆

 

Sanghyuk spends all of seventh period trying not to think about his phone (which is in his back left pocket and digging into his ass every time he moves, shifts in his desk chair, mocking him, reminding him that it’s right there with hot, terrifying, alpha Jung Taekwoon’s Kakao ID sitting there inside it. That thread of connection that, now that he has it, means that  _ something _ comes next. No longer is Taekwoon  _ That One Guy I Threw Up On At A Party And Then Awkwardly Had To Grope On The Back Of His Motorcycle On The Way To School That One Time _ . Now he’s Jung Taekwoon,  _ @tw_jung57 _ , the guy who has a baby bunny probably from the first page of google image results as his propic, the intimidating alpha who is probably going to message Sanghyuk about getting his leftovers out of the student council fridge.) 

It doesn’t work. His notes page is left blank. He thinks about nothing except his phone right up until the bell rings, at which point he panics about not thinking about class in favor of thinking about his phone while he packs up his things from class and then, on habit, pulls out his phone. 

 

_ tw_jung57: 1 New Message _

 

His heart stops and he suddenly feels as if there is not near enough air in his lungs. He swipes without really even thinking about it.

 

_ tw_jung57: hey its taekwoon. should i meet you in the student council room? _

 

_ hyuktastic: yeah sounds good! be there in a sec _

 

Sanghyuk clicks his phone off. He feels dumb getting so… flustered over all this. He starts toward the StuCo room, moving to shove his phone back into his pocket when the screen lights up again.

 

_ tw_jung57: 1 New Message _

 

He swipes it open again, expecting just a simple ‘ _ k _ ’ or maybe a thumbs up, but certainly not--

 

_ tw_jung57: ε=ε=ε=ε=┌(;￣▽￣)┘ _

 

\--a… cute emote? Sanghyuk stops dead in his tracks. He… he was not expecting this. At all. He’s not sure if it makes Taekwoon less or more scary somehow. Really, at this point, he’s not sure what to make of Taekwoon at all. He decides, quickly, as he slides his phone away inside his pocket, that he’s not going to make anything of him at all yet. He’s just going to return Taekwoon’s food to him and then yell at Hongbin for a bit on the ride home. 

It doesn’t take more than a minute to get to the StuCo room from his last period, and Taekwoon is already there waiting for him. He gives what he hopes is a friendly, non-creepy, doesn’t-look-like-I’m-trying-to-hold-in-gas smile and fishes his keys out of his backpack to unlock the glorified broomcloset-turned-office.

“Why do you have a key to the Student Council room anyways?” Taekwoon asks while he’s still unlocking the door and he’s so unused to the alpha’s softspoken voice that he almost misses it. It takes him a beat to respond and he can already feel the heat crawling up his neck to his ears. 

“Uh, well, I nap in here sometimes and Hongbin covers for me. And I leave so much shit in here, he just figured it was easiest to get me my own key. Don’t tell the teacher, though. Nepotism is generally frowned upon, y’know?” he chuckles, hoping his attempt at humor is appreciated, but doesn’t have the balls to look to see if Taekwoon is actually smiling. Besides, turning his face would mean Taekwoon might see how much he’s blushing despite literally nothing happening. 

The door swings open and he props it up on the old wooden doorstop before moving quickly to the minifridge that sits squat next to the arm of the ratty old plaid sofa, hidden under piles of blankets and precariously stacked, official-looking papers. Their leftovers have remained untouched, probably a small miracle in its own right, and he retrieves them quickly. He balances them on one arm and slams the door of the minifridge shut as he spins on his heels and straightens to his full height. A suave feat of halfway-acrobatics, he thinks -- or, it would be if he wasn’t so startled by Taekwoon standing  _ really fucking close _ behind him that he stumbles backwards into the blankets and sends papers flying everywhere.

_ Smooth move, ex-lax. _

 

But Taekwoon’s eyes have disappeared into his cheeks and his lips have curled back so that he’s baring his top teeth as he lets out a truly staggering guffaw. His hand comes up quickly to cover his mouth as he continues to laugh, seemingly unable to control it, and Sanghyuk feels a surge of warmth flood his chest at this unexpected outburst. His face flushes in embarrassment at his expert demonstration of complete and total klutzitude and he shoves the styrofoam boxes into a still-laughing Taekwoon’s chest as he drops to his hands and knees and begins to gather up the mess of papers he’s created. They’re all out of order and some of them are upside-down but he doesn’t really care at this point. He just wants to go home and scream into his pillow for a bit. He turns and Taekwoon appears, crouching, before him, holding out the rest of the papers in a neat stack, no longer laughing, but smiling at Sanghyuk in a way that he hopes is more fond than malicious. 

Sanghyuk places the stack of papers back on the blankets, resolving to only tell Hongbin if he brings it up, and sheepishly exits the room followed by the still-smirking alpha. He doesn’t want to look him in the eye -- somehow having Taekwoon laugh at him is worse than just being stared at silently and he’s really ready to crawl into a hole and just call it a day. He pulls out his phone and opens his chatroom with Hongbin, scrolling through to look like he’s doing something, trying really hard not to have to look Taekwoon in the eye. 

“Um, so, Hongbin hyung is waiting for me, so I’ve gotta run,” he flicks his eyes up for a brief moment before he nods his head in a bow, too quick a glance to see anything. “Thanks again for the ride.”

He’s gone before Taekwoon has a chance to respond. 

 

★☆

 

Hongbin is a terrible, awful, horrible excuse for a friend and Sanghyuk has no idea why he puts up with him anymore. In fact, he tells himself as he sits, arms folded, staring out the passenger window of the alpha’s shitty car as his so-called best friend laughs his stupid ass off next to him, he is going to block Lee Hongbin on every social media platform, even the ones he doesn’t have, and start biking to school in the mornings. Ten years of best-friendship be damned. 

A flick to his temple draws him out of his thoughts.

“Hey, c’mon, it really doesn’t sound that bad, Hyukkie.”

Sanghyuk shoots him a glare, then goes back to staring petulantly out the window.

He feels Hongbin’s fingers on his face, lightly at first, then pushing him until his forehead knocks against the glass and he has to turn, once again, to look at his shitty friend.

“If I buy you coffee, will that make you happy?”

Sanghyuk considers jumping out of the car and walking the rest of the way home, but a steaming Americano sounds really good right now--and Hongbin’s paying…

“No. But I’ll hate you less.”

Hongbin cracks a dimpled grin and ruffles the omega’s hair in a way that he knows will annoy him.

“I’m getting a large.”

“Okay.”

“With extra whip.”

Hongbin snorts.

“Because you’re a shit friend.”

“Oh, the worst.”

“And it’s going to be really expensive and I’m going to make you tip the barista really high.”

“Sounds good, Hyukkie.”

“Don’t call me that, I’m mad at you.”

 

The paper cup is warm in Sanghyuk’s hands, and there’s whipped cream smeared on his nose from the bumps of the road, but Hongbin’s singing obnoxiously loud along with the warbling, garbled voice of John Lennon and he can’t help but laughing. Hongbin’s his best friend, after all, and he can’t stay mad at him. He joins in with the noise and they sing until they get to Sanghyuk’s apartment. 

 

★☆

 

The next morning, much like all other weekdays, sees Sanghyuk in Hongbin’s front seat, travel-mug of coffee in hand, scrolling idly through his phone while they talk about nothing important. He’s really only half-listening as the alpha goes on about something to do with Student Council, too early to be an active conversation partner, and he’s almost dozed off when Hongbin remarks faux-casually,

“So, Hakyeon tells me that Taekwoon owes you lunch. You guys goin’ on a date this week?”

“What? He--what? No. No, what?” Sanghyuk is shocked out of his almost-slumber by the stoic alpha’s name, and startled fully awake at the word,  _ ‘date _ .’ 

“Taekwoon sunbae doesn’t owe me anything. At all. All debts have been repaid and as far as I’m concerned we can go back to being strangers now.”

“He took your leftovers home yesterday, so he owes you a lunch date now. That’s what Hakyeon said, at least. Sounds fair to me.”

Hongbin snorts and Sanghyuk whines in an anxious panic.

“Seriously, hyung. Please tell Hakyeon sunbae to stop bothering him. He’s--he doesn’t owe me anything. Especially not a date. He’s probably straight anyways, it--look, hyung, it really doesn’t matter. I just wanna forget the guy completely, okay? No dates. No more Taekwoon sunbae. ”

“Yeah, sure, Hyukkie, whatever you say. No more Taekwoon sunbae.”

 

★☆

 

They have lunch with Taekwoon sunbae. 

To Hongbin’s credit, it wasn’t planned. Hakyeon was going to come eat with him and Sanghyuk at their usual spot in the courtyard, and Taekwoon, he said, would be in one of the choir practice rooms, “like always.” But, apparently, like always didn’t include today, because not five minutes after the three of them had gotten settled under the big birch tree, Hakyeon’s phone dinged and he mentioned, off-handedly in the middle of the conversation, “Taekwoonie’s on his way to come eat with us.”

Sanghyuk is rifling through all the excuses he could plausibly make to leave right now immediately, but Hakyeon stops him with a bright smile. 

“He wanted to apologize for yesterday, I think.”

“Huh?” Sanghyuk looks to Hongbin for an answer, but Hongbin doesn’t seem surprised, looking back at Sanghyuk. “What happened yesterday?”

Hakyeon’s brow knits slightly lower, “He said something about you two in the Student Council room? He said he was rude or something and you left in a hurry. I don’t know, he was talking to fast for me to really keep up. He felt really bad about upsetting you.”

“Upsetting me?”

“Yeah, and stealing your lunch leftovers.”

Hongbin puts his arm out, “Wait, did you say he was talking to fast?” He snorts, looking incredulously between the two of them, “Taekwoon hyung -- _ talking?  _ **_Too fast?_ ** ” 

Hakyeon giggles and swats at Hongbin’s arm. “Don’t be mean, Binnie. He’s just shy, y’know. Especially around you two. We’ve just been friends for forever.” He turns his attention back to Sanghyuk, “Anyways, he felt really bad for making you upset. That’s why he said he owed you lunch.”

Sanghyuk has only been half paying attention to Hakyeon and Hongbin, mind racing a mile a minute replaying the events of yesterday afternoon and what he has done to make Taekwoon think that he owes him something. Owes him a  _ date _ . He feels ready to combust. 

And, as if on cue, Taekwoon picks that moment to drop his messenger bag on the grass and plop down, cross-legged, next to Hakyeon, who beams up at him.

“Woon _ ie _ ,” he draws out the last syllable, sliding a hand along Taekwoon’s shoulder to grip at the back of his neck affectionately, “so nice of you to join us.”

Taekwoon rolls his eyes and shrugs Hakyeon’s hand off of him, an action which earns a scoff from the omega and a chop to the back of the neck. He says something about respecting elders, but Sanghyuk isn’t paying attention. He nods his head at Taekwoon in greeting and spends the rest of lunch staring at his food. Until, of course, Hakyeon declares he wants to go buy something from the vending machines and Hongbin jumps in to join him. Before Sanghyuk realizes what’s happened, he’s sitting alone in the courtyard. 

With Taekwoon.

He’s contemplating using one of those excuses from earlier and beating a quick retreat, when Taekwoon clears his throat. 

“About yesterday--” 

Sanghyuk’s head shoots up, eyes wide, and he starts to stammer, “O-oh, no, really, S-Sunbae, um, y-you don’t need to apologize, or, um, get me lunch, or anything, really, it’s-- it’s fine, I was being dumb, is all, y’know. It’s, uh, it’s all good.” He’s been staring at his fingers as they fumble together nervously, and only glances up at Taekwoon when he’s finished his rambling. The alpha is looking similarly down at his own clasped hands. 

“You were upset. It was rude of me to laugh at you. It would be more rude not to apologize.”

Sanghyuk has refutations bubbling up in his throat when Taekwoon looks up from his hands, “I’m sorry. Can we start over? I’d like to be friends.” It’s definitely just a trick of the lighting, but it almost looks like Taekwoon is blushing. 

Sanghyuk barks out a laugh, surprising even himself, “Start over to before I puked on your shoes? Yeah, I think I’d like that.” He hadn’t really meant to say that last bit out loud, but Taekwoon is smiling now and he can’t help but smile himself and the weird almost-moment is shattered by Hongbin and Hakyeon laughing loudly and retaking their seats in the grass. 

Hakyeon bumps purposefully into Taekwoon’s shoulder with his own, grinning at the two of them, “You two make nice, then?” 

Taekwoon smiles back, glancing at Sanghyuk and the omega feels a weird twist in his gut. Werid, but not bad.

“Yeah. Sanghyuk-ah and I are going to be friends, now.”

Hakyeon pinches Taekwoon on the neck, laughing, “Good.” He takes a sip of the banana milk he has apparently bought at one of the on-campus vending machines, and launches right back into his conversation with Hongbin. 

The weird twisty feeling works its way up into Sanghyuk’s throat, and while neither he nor Taekwoon add much to the conversation, the atmosphere is different. Friendly. They’re friends now. Simple as that. 

 

★☆

 

Sanghyuk’s phone buzzes with a notification halfway through his next period.

 

_ tw_jung57: by the way _

_ tw_jung57: please call me hyung _

_ tw_jung57: (o^ ^o) _

**Author's Note:**

> comments appreciated!!


End file.
